A shelf servicing apparatus is used for placing in and removing from a shelf store substantially random goods, the goods frequently being combined to form large units, for example in containers or cartons, on pallets, rack-boards, etc. In order to e.g. remove a container from a specific shelf compartment, the guided shelf servicing apparatus is moved into a shelf passage formed between the shelves. In order to obtain access to the desired shelf compartment, there is a cabin which is vertically movable on a mast and which is moved to the height of the desired shelf compartment. In this position and by loading mechanism fitted to the cabin and which can, for example be a fork telescope or a rotary sliding table, a container can be removed from the shelf compartment and transferred into the cabin. The container can then be moved with the shelf surfacing apparatus to a transfer station located at the shelf passage end or in the shelf prearea, where the container is removed from the cabin and is then transported on or partially or entirely emptied. As in this way only one container can be moved per shelf journey, for example placed in or removed from the store, such a procedure can only be performed economically in the case of large containers.
In order to obtain a more economic transportation and storage operation for smaller containers, it is possible to work with a manned cabin, the operator being able to manually remove several containers from different, successively moved up to shelf compartments and place same at positioning locations in the cabin or transfer containers set down in the cabin to specific shelf locations. After the desired number of containers has been removed from the shelf store, the shelf servicing apparatus is moved to the transfer station, where the containers are manually delivered by the operator or transferred for further transportation. Such a procedure is limited to relatively small, easily handlable containers and is consequently relatively time-intensive and expensive due to the considerable proportion of manual activity.
DE 91 03 197 U1 discloses a shelf servicing apparatus with a vertically movable lifting platform, which is provided with a loading mechanism, by which containers can be stored in or removed from shelf locations. The lifting platform has a revolving conveying mechanism, which comprises several positioning locations for containers to be placed in or removed from the store. During the movement of the conveying mechanism the containers located on the positioning locations are displaced relative to the lifting platform. However, the lifting platform capacity is very limited.